http://essexpediatrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/EssexPedslogo1-300x62.jpg00essexpedshttp://essexpediatrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/EssexPedslogo1-300x62.jpgessexpeds2016-03-04 13:34:002018-08-07 13:23:43Have a question about your child's symptoms? Check out this neat KidsDoc Symptom Checker to help figure out if he/she needs to be seen.

Summer is (almost) here and school year routines will soon be a thing of the past. For many families, that can mean lots more grazing on snack foods – at home, the beach, at camp… To keep everyone eating right all summer long, follow these tips:

1) Decide how many fun foods you kids can have each day/week. Fun foods are things like ice cream, cookies/pastries, French fries and soda. They’re important to have on the table (totally forbidding these foods makes them extra tempting), but the key is to keep your kids conscious of them. Give them some limits (e.g. you can have one/two a day), but then let them choose what they want – do they want that candy bar at the pool or do they want to save their fun food for ice cream after dinner? Think of it as a fun food allowance – you give them a certain amount and they decide how to spend it.

2) For most snacks, follow this snacking formula: Fruit/vegetable/healthy starch + protein = healthy snack. What does this look like? It could be air-popped popcorn sprinkled with parmesan cheese; an apple with cheddar cheese; a slice of whole-grain toast with peanut butter; celery with cream cheese and raisins… you get the idea.

3) Keep plenty of prepped fruits and vegetables in the fridge. Baby carrots, cut celery sticks, sugar snap peas, cubed melon…whatever your family likes. Once you make fruits and vegetables as easy to reach for as a granola bar, you will see a shift in what your family chooses.

Did you know Essex Pediatrics is open for urgent care after 5pm on weekdays and on weekend mornings?

Providers and triage nurses are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for emergencies. Consider calling Essex Pediatrics before bringing your child to the Emergency Room to see if we can help!

802-879-6556

http://essexpediatrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/EssexPedslogo1-300x62.jpg00essexpedshttp://essexpediatrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/EssexPedslogo1-300x62.jpgessexpeds2014-08-28 11:16:322018-08-07 13:23:44We could help save you a trip to the Emergency Room!

Summer camp time is here! Please look ahead at the camps your child is participating in this summer. Some camps require immunization information or a form signed by your child’s primary care provider. If you have forms that need to be signed or need information from our office please let us know as soon as possible. Please allow 2-3 business days, more if possible, for us to get these done for you. Also, make sure you have filled out all of the information you can on forms before submitting them to our office. Thank you and have a wonderful summer!

The Vermont Principal’s Association now recommends annual physical exams for Middle and High School students. Please call us 3 months in advance to schedule these appointments.

Most colleges require a physical exam, updated immunizations and a form signed by the doctor for first year students. Please bring your form with you to the appointment with your portion already completed.

VACCINE REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOOL ENTRY

According to new guidelines, children entering kindergarten require Dtap (Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis), IPV (Polio) and now a Varicella (Chickenpox) booster.
Children entering the 7th grade are required to have a Tdap and possibly a Varicella booster. If your child is attending a residential school, such as boarding school or college, Menactra (Meningitis) vaccine may also be required. Menactra is now routinely given after age 11.

MEDICATION AT SCHOOL FORMS

If your child will be taking medication at school, the school nurse will need written permission from you and the doctor. Advance notice for this is appreciated.

BIKE HELMET

Many head injuries can be avoided by protecting your children with helmets when they roller blade or ride a bike, scooter or skateboard. For your convenience, bike helmets are available for $15.00 in the office.

SUNBURN

UV rays can be very damaging to the skin. Avoid the hot mid day sun between the hours of 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Wear hats, sunglasses and cover as much skin as possible. Be especially careful when on the water or sand as sunlight is reflected upward from these surfaces. We recommend a UVA and UVB sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. The number of SPF states how many more minutes the skin is protected from the sun before burning. Initial application should be 20 to 30 minutes before sun exposure. Reapply frequently. Combination insect repellent and sunscreen is not recommended as overuse of insect repellent can occur when applying frequently.

INSECT REPELLENT

Insect repellents containing Diethyltoluamide (DEET) are generally safe for children if used in concentrations of less than 30% and frequent reapplications are avoided.
It may be helpful to apply to clothing in addition to exposed skin.

TICK BITES

If you find a tick on your child’s skin, it should be removed promptly and carefully. Ticks must be attached to the skin for at least 36 hours before they can transmit Lyme disease bacteria. Not all ticks carry Lyme disease.

To Remove the Tick:
Grab the tick with tweezers as close to the skin as possible and slowly pull it straight out. Do not use a twisting motion. Cleanse your child’s wound and apply antibiotic ointment.

Signs and Symptoms of Lyme Disease:
In the early stages of Lyme disease, a bulls eye rash may appear at the site of the tick bite. Along with the rash, your child can develop other symptoms, many of them flu like, that may include fever, fatigue, headaches, mild neck stiffness, muscle and joint aches.

Prevention:
– Stay on cleared trails and away from overgrown grass and brush.
– Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants with the cuffs tucked into shoes or socks.
– Wear light-colored clothing to make it easier to spot ticks.
– Wear a hat and closed-toe shoes especially in densely wooded areas.
– Tick and insect repellents are available to be applied.
– Once indoors, remove clothing and wash skin to remove repellent if applied.
– Inspect the body for the presence of ticks. They may hide behind ears or attach themselves to hair.
– Pets may bring ticks into the house and should be inspected.

The Vermont Principal’s Association now recommends annual physical exams for Middle and High School students. Please call us 3 months in advance to schedule these appointments. Most colleges require a physical exam, updated immunizations and a form signed by the doctor for first year students. Please bring your form with you to the appointment with your portion already completed.

VACCINE REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOOL ENTRY

According to new guidelines, children entering kindergarten require Dtap (Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis), IPV (Polio) and now a Varicella (Chickenpox) booster. Children entering the 7th grade are required to have a Tdap and possibly a Varicella booster. If your child is attending a residential school, such as boarding school or college, Menactra (Meningitis) vaccine may also be required. Menactra is now routinely given after age 11.

MEDICATION AT SCHOOL FORMS

If your child will be taking medication at school, the school nurse will need written permission from you and the doctor. Advance notice for this is appreciated.

WINTER HAZARDS

Children who are skiing, snowboarding or sledding should wear helmets to prevent or reduce the severity of head injuries. When your children are healthy and the snow is right for sledding, it is important to teach your children about SLEDDING SAFETY. Some hazards to warn them about are rocks, trees, parked cars and fences. Especially take care to look for wire fences that may not be visible from a distance. Make sure the run-out doesn’t cross the street or end up on frozen body of water.

SUNSCREEN

The sun in the winter can be very intense. Please remember to apply sunscreen to your child’s face before a day of winter fun in the sun.

FROSTBITE

Frostbite is a result to overexposure of cold. The skin is very white and cold to touch. Do not apply extreme heat or rub the area. Raise the temperature of the affected area gradually by warming. The frostbitten areas may look like small lumps and may persist for a week or more. It is very important to protect the area from severe cold by keeping the area covered.

NOSEBLEEDS

Children generally have more nosebleeds than adults because the blood vessels are more fragile. Some common causes of nosebleeds are low humidity, cold and allergies, injuries to the nose, medications and blowing or picking the nose. To control nosebleeds, pinch nostrils together and hold for at least 10 minutes. Humidify your home, keep heat low in sleeping areas, apply Vaseline to inside of nose and drink lots of water.

FLU INFORMATION

The Centers of Disease Control or CDC has determined that both seasonal and H1N1 influenza viruses are contagious and spread from person to person. The symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue and in some cases diarrhea and vomiting. If your child has flu like symptoms, please keep him or her out of school or day care for 7 days or 24 hours after symptoms resolve. Most healthy children who have been sick with either flu in the US have recovered at home without being seen by a doctor. However, if your child appears very ill or has a fever that returns after being absent for a day or there is a significant change in his/her fever pattern, please call the office and speak with a triage nurse. There are some things which you can do to keep you and your child healthy. These include avoiding contact with people who are sick, frequent hand washing, covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and getting a flu shot. Seasonal Flu vaccinations are recommended for children 6 months and older unless the child has an egg allergy. Please call our office at 879-6556 to schedule a flu shot. H1N1 vaccine guidelines and availability are regulated by the CDC. Please feel free to visit the http://www.cdc.gov/flu/ website for frequently updated information.